[rdgrad15]

Does anyone experience being sad a lot without having depression? I tend to fall in this category since I always feel sad and lonely but it never lasts for two weeks straight with no let up. I may feel sad more than usual and longer than usual but it’s never full blown and doesn’t meet the requirements for depression. I’ve wondered if there’s a name for those who fall onto that category or if that’s just simply moodiness or insecurity.

I usually feel this way after something bad or stressful happens or even if I am shunned by someone or a group of people which everyone has experienced. I also feel this way when I’m just simply by myself even though I like my solitude. I can even feel extremely low when I’m around others and at times really big changes can have me feeling so low that I just feel completely drained and worthless. There has been a few instances sporadically where these feelings lasted more than two weeks but usually there are short periods where I feel happy in between.

[downandlonely]

I guess I'm wondering why you think it's not depression.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by downandlonely

I guess I'm wondering why you think it's not depression.

Only reason is because really never lasts the entire 2 weeks without let up. I could feel very sad and drained for several days but then there will be a day or two thrown in there where I feel perfectly normal. One of the big factors determining if someone actually has depression is if their symptoms last for two weeks or longer without any let up according to the DSM-5. There's probably more factors that play into that but that's just what I've learned over the years and I don't want to just assume that's what I have since self diagnosing doesn't do you any good.

[Mountaindewed]

Allergies maybe or some other thing in the enviroment possibly? I can get really depressd when my allergies act up but its actually just allergies and not depression. Maybe it could also be the change in weather. Not everything is depression I agree with that. I had issues with my cats new litter deodarent. Once I switched brands those particular issues went away.

[lizardlady]

Rdgrad, not sure I can explain this very well.. I've been sad for months now. There have been events going on in my life that would make anyone sad. Been sad longer than two weeks, but there are reasons for it. Plus it doesn't feel the same as when I'm depressed. Does that make any sense? The general population use sad and depressed like they are interchangeable, but they aren't. Sad usually gas an identifiable cause. Depression feels like I am buried under a huge weight that never goes away. I isolate myself from the world. I start having thoughts about "S". Mainly it's the way it feels though.

You are not alone in the way you are feeling

[downandlonely]

Yeah, I agree with @lizardlady. For sadness (or situational depression), there is a reason behind it. Do you think that's what you're feeling? Might help to talk to someone about it.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by Mountaindewed

Allergies maybe or some other thing in the enviroment possibly? I can get really depressd when my allergies act up but its actually just allergies and not depression. Maybe it could also be the change in weather. Not everything is depression I agree with that. I had issues with my cats new litter deodarent. Once I switched brands those particular issues went away.

Yeah possible, I know it's common for other causes to mimic depressive symptoms.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by lizardlady

Rdgrad, not sure I can explain this very well.. I've been sad for months now. There have been events going on in my life that would make anyone sad. Been sad longer than two weeks, but there are reasons for it. Plus it doesn't feel the same as when I'm depressed. Does that make any sense? The general population use sad and depressed like they are interchangeable, but they aren't. Sad usually gas an identifiable cause. Depression feels like I am buried under a huge weight that never goes away. I isolate myself from the world. I start having thoughts about "S". Mainly it's the way it feels though.

You are not alone in the way you are feeling

Oh I think I know what you mean, basically you get sad from things that would make anyone sad but it's a lot worse for you? In that case, I totally get what you mean. Yeah society uses the words sad and depression interchangeably all the time, like one day someone will feel a bit bummed out for a short period and claim they are feeling a bit depressed even though they technically aren't depressed. I'll be honest I used to do that since years ago when I thought they were pretty much the same thing, depression is way more than just sadness and lasts a long time with little to no relief.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by downandlonely

Yeah, I agree with @lizardlady. For sadness (or situational depression), there is a reason behind it. Do you think that's what you're feeling? Might help to talk to someone about it.

If I do have depression then I think it would be situational depression, I get sad over stuff that would make anyone sad whether they want to admit it or not but I experience it at a level that isn't quite normal. I remember feeling extremely sad when I graduated college because I didn't want to lose my independence and lose friends, I was sad to the point where I pretty much didn't want to do anything and overall just felt sick and anxious too. Not normal for someone who is just simply graduating and moving on and even back then I knew that it wasn't normal to be that sad but I literally couldn't snap out of it, most people are excited to graduate and any sadness they experience is usually very minor and short lived and there has been other cases where changes in life events have brought me down very low. I feel the same way when I'm shunned by someone out of the blue for no reason or at least an unknown reason, other times I'll just randomly get extremely sad for a few days so I think it could be situational depression.

[downandlonely]

I had a hard time after I graduated as well. And it still hurts when people exclude me, although I try not to care.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by downandlonely

I had a hard time after I graduated as well. And it still hurts when people exclude me, although I try not to care.

Glad to know that I’m not the only one who struggled with that. It’s hard not to care and I understand how it feels.

[Mendingmysoul]

I am sad everyday.It is like a default setting for me. I know I am not depressed as my sadness does not interfere with my functioning in my day to day life.But I need to constantly look for something to do in order to distract myself from my ruminations. Ruminations and flashbacks intensify my mild sadness.That is what I tried to avoid.There is deep grief too.I am trying to process my grief as much as I can.Long way to go.I accept and understand my sadness and the reason behind it and made it ( sadness )my friend.I think this feeling will stay with me for ever(because I won't be getting any closure from the reasons ).I need to cope and be productive.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by Mendingmysoul

I am sad everyday.It is like a default setting for me. I know I am not depressed as my sadness does not interfere with my functioning in my day to day life.But I need to constantly look for something to do in order to distract myself from my ruminations. Ruminations and flashbacks intensify my mild sadness.That is what I tried to avoid.There is deep grief too.I am trying to process my grief as much as I can.Long way to go.I accept and understand my sadness and the reason behind it and made it ( sadness )my friend.I think this feeling will stay with me for ever(because I won't be getting any closure from the reasons ).I need to cope and be productive.

Same here, I feel sad pretty much everyday but it doesn't affect my life at all. It's a mild sadness that can go away for a day or two at times but then returns no matter what happens, there's always an underlying sense of loneliness and feeling down. It never lasts two weeks without letting up but the feeling of loneliness is always there and being alone actually makes it worse despite me enjoying my solitude, I always feel a sense of nostalgia as well and longing for the old times and to see people who are no longer around again. Even back then I felt sad constantly but I still long for those days where some were still around, I agree with you that there can be grief involved that never gets resolved and I think I'll always be this way too and have accepted it as a way of life.

[cool09]

I usually have a really horrible mood like depression but not feel sad. Like I don't feel like crying but I feel horrible with horrible self-esteem and negative thoughts, etc.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by cool09

I usually have a really horrible mood like depression but not feel sad. Like I don't feel like crying but I feel horrible with horrible self-esteem and negative thoughts, etc.

Yes same here, sort of a constant down feeling.

[Brego]

I sometimes experience sadness. I haven't been, in actuality, depressed in a long time. The results are very beneficial. Sometimes when I talk to my docs, I speak like I have depression symptoms still but what I experience is a sadness. I think of it in fleeting seconds now as if it's only social isolation and that's a symptom of Schizophrenia. I realized this because I have this period tracker app called Flo. There are several 'symptoms' including being self-critical, calm, energetic, as well as depressed and sad, so I'm just a tall strange woman who obsesses over: God, St. Michael the Archangel, her own guardian angel, the askance of who I am, special-ness and uniqueness, shopping, getting better every day, using her voice, and especially trying to achieve greatest hits and even on the internet.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by Brego

I sometimes experience sadness. I haven't been, in actuality, depressed in a long time. The results are very beneficial. Sometimes when I talk to my docs, I speak like I have depression symptoms still but what I experience is a sadness. I think of it in fleeting seconds now as if it's only social isolation and that's a symptom of Schizophrenia. I realized this because I have this period tracker app called Flo. There are several 'symptoms' including being self-critical, calm, energetic, as well as depressed and sad, so I'm just a tall strange woman who obsesses over: God, St. Michael the Archangel, her own guardian angel, the askance of who I am, special-ness and uniqueness, shopping, getting better every day, using her voice, and especially trying to achieve greatest hits and even on the internet.

Yeah we all experience sadness, it becomes a problem when it affects your life. I think social isolation can be one of the causes of prolonged sadness, I'm in the same boat as you since I feel sad a lot but it's really not enough to be classified as depression to be perfectly honest.

[MuseumGhost]

My first thought is that you could be a highly sensitive individual. The world, especially right now, is a pretty tough place to be.

We've all been through so much in the last 6 years; it's been kind of mind-blowing for me, at times. If one is intelligent and paying attention to all the madness going on, it's no wonder that garden variety sadness can linger like it does.

I find myself feeling this way now, too---although my Major Depression symptoms have lifted a great deal, and I only struggle, on average, through 3-4 tough days, about once a month.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by MuseumGhost

My first thought is that you could be a highly sensitive individual. The world, especially right now, is a pretty tough place to be.

We've all been through so much in the last 6 years; it's been kind of mind-blowing for me, at times. If one is intelligent and paying attention to all the madness going on, it's no wonder that garden variety sadness can linger like it does.

I find myself feeling this way now, too---although my Major Depression symptoms have lifted a great deal, and I only struggle, on average, through 3-4 tough days, about once a month.

Yeah that makes sense, I probably am very sensitive and all the negativity in the world can bring anyone down whether they want to admit it or not. Glad things have improved for you and seems like you've been able to regulate your emotions. I actually do wonder if everything that has been going on has everyone in a semi depressive state without being truly depressed if that makes any sense. Like no one is sad for two weeks straight but most people may feel a sense of dread or sadness as if something is just not right and Covid has proven to have a major negative impact on people's mental health.

[MuseumGhost]

rdgrad15, I agree. I suspect there are degrees of depression, as I do know mine crept up on me over a course of years. I went through stages of it, and some of them lasted a strangely long time without me being able to sense much change. But I did not feel bad enough to seek medical assistance, for an amazingly long period of time (although, in hindsight, I wish I had.). Throughout that time, my life was marked by an unnamable sadness, and also the onset of a moments of dread. I finally sought medical assistance when things did get really bad for me, in 2007.

I am enormously grateful my worst symptoms have significantly lightened. I cannot take all the credit for achieving this, by any means. I believe the courses of medication I had taken contributed the most to my healing. Also, I am completely aware that I am vulnerable to a relapse.

Yes, I can usually monitor and manage my emotions much better these days than in the recent past.

There are still several areas however where things still feel a bit triggering and troublesome, I won't lie. Working around generalized anxiety has been the biggest obstacle. I've still got a ways to go.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by MuseumGhost

rdgrad15, I agree. I suspect there are degrees of depression, as I do know mine crept up on me over a course of years. I went through stages of it, and some of them lasted a strangely long time without me being able to sense much change. But I did not feel bad enough to seek medical assistance, for an amazingly long period of time (although, in hindsight, I wish I had.). Throughout that time, my life was marked by an unnamable sadness, and also the onset of a moments of dread. I finally sought medical assistance when things did get really bad for me, in 2007.

I am enormously grateful my worst symptoms have significantly lightened. I cannot take all the credit for achieving this, by any means. I believe the courses of medication I had taken contributed the most to my healing. Also, I am completely aware that I am vulnerable to a relapse.

Yes, I can usually monitor and manage my emotions much better these days than in the recent past.

There are still several areas however where things still feel a bit triggering and troublesome, I won't lie. Working around generalized anxiety has been the biggest obstacle. I've still got a ways to go.

Yeah there are different degrees of depression, sometimes it's so mild that you don't even notice or it's so debilitating that you can hardly function. If I do have any form of depression, it's probably situational since it takes something happening for me to become extremely sad for over two weeks without letting up. Other than that, there's just a low level of lingering sadness that will stick around for a few days and disappear for a day or two and then return. It's extremely mild in comparison and never lasts two weeks so that's why I'm unsure if it's depression, glad you have recovered and recognize that you could relapse.

[amandalouise]

admitting here I didnt read the whole thread. a post in this thread caught my eye as I was reading.

Rdgrad15 said they did not think they had depression because the problems didnt last for 2 weeks required by the dsm5.

the world is now on DSM 5 TR.. that means many of the disorders have been changed. for depression you dont need to have the symptoms for 2 weeks straight through. the wording is that you have to have 5 of 9 criteria present during the same 2 week period and represent a change from previous function. at least one of the symptoms is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure. The very first criteria has the wording "nearly every day" (thats not the whole criteria just putting the important point of the first criteria)

which means out of 14 days how many days have you felt sad/ empty and hopeless for the whole day that interferes with your daily functioning

one day yea a person doesnt meet that first criteria. but someone who has more whole days during a two week time period of feeling sad, empty and hopeless meets that criteria.

to be clear though. in order to meet the diagnostics for major depressive disorder you have to meet at least 5 of the first set of criteria.

Also in the new DSM 5 TR there are many depressive disorders and many of other disorders now carry depression as a "specifier" or symptom.

the only way to know for sure what kind of depression or disorder you have is by going to a treatment provider. dont try to self diagnose. you may end up self diagnosing with the wrong thing or not diagnosing a problem you may have. contact a treatment provider.

you can also find the new DSM 5 TR in libraries (most aloow you to read and print off from reference books but dont let you check the book out to take home). you can also purchase one the American Psychiatric Associations website, and Amazon. (not a sales pitch. some now aware that the new DSM 5 TR is out may want to know how to find it)

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

admitting here I didnt read the whole thread. a post in this thread caught my eye as I was reading.

Rdgrad15 said they did not think they had depression because the problems didnt last for 2 weeks required by the dsm5.

the world is now on DSM 5 TR.. that means many of the disorders have been changed. for depression you dont need to have the symptoms for 2 weeks straight through. the wording is that you have to have 5 of 9 criteria present during the same 2 week period and represent a change from previous function. at least one of the symptoms is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure. The very first criteria has the wording "nearly every day" (thats not the whole criteria just putting the important point of the first criteria)

which means out of 14 days how many days have you felt sad/ empty and hopeless for the whole day that interferes with your daily functioning

one day yea a person doesnt meet that first criteria. but someone who has more whole days during a two week time period of feeling sad, empty and hopeless meets that criteria.

to be clear though. in order to meet the diagnostics for major depressive disorder you have to meet at least 5 of the first set of criteria.

Also in the new DSM 5 TR there are many depressive disorders and many of other disorders now carry depression as a "specifier" or symptom.

the only way to know for sure what kind of depression or disorder you have is by going to a treatment provider. dont try to self diagnose. you may end up self diagnosing with the wrong thing or not diagnosing a problem you may have. contact a treatment provider.

you can also find the new DSM 5 TR in libraries (most aloow you to read and print off from reference books but dont let you check the book out to take home). you can also purchase one the American Psychiatric Associations website, and Amazon. (not a sales pitch. some now aware that the new DSM 5 TR is out may want to know how to find it)

I'm glad you cleared that up, I didn't know they updated the DSM-5 again since I thought they already did that years ago. Guess things are always changing though, it makes more sense that you must meet several criteria within the same time span in order for a disorder to be diagnosed. Also I know not to self diagnose myself, I don't lose sleep over it and just simply look at the criteria out of general curiosity and just some ideas but talking to an actual professional is the actual way to go. I knew people in the past that would spend hours and literally lose sleep over looking up various disorders they could possibly have, that was just unhealthy and I wouldn't go down that road since you can get yourself all worked up over nothing and that can go for physical illnesses too.

[Buffy01]

Originally Posted by rdgrad15

Does anyone experience being sad a lot without having depression? I tend to fall in this category since I always feel sad and lonely but it never lasts for two weeks straight with no let up. I may feel sad more than usual and longer than usual but it’s never full blown and doesn’t meet the requirements for depression. I’ve wondered if there’s a name for those who fall onto that category or if that’s just simply moodiness or insecurity.

I usually feel this way after something bad or stressful happens or even if I am shunned by someone or a group of people which everyone has experienced. I also feel this way when I’m just simply by myself even though I like my solitude. I can even feel extremely low when I’m around others and at times really big changes can have me feeling so low that I just feel completely drained and worthless. There has been a few instances sporadically where these feelings lasted more than two weeks but usually there are short periods where I feel happy in between.

It possible. I feel like this all the time but then again I have depression.

[rdgrad15]

Originally Posted by Buffy01

It possible. I feel like this all the time but then again I have depression.

Yeah it's always possible.